OTTAWA — Donna Jones' family, friends and colleagues erupted into cheers Friday as the jury declared Mark Hutt guilty of murdering the burned, battered wife he kept torturing for the 12 days it took her to die.

"Pay the piper now, you prick," one shouted at an expressionless Hutt, 36.

"An evil man" was convicted of his "evil crimes," Jones' "elated" brother, Derek, said after pumping his fist in victory.

"He will pay for the rest of his life," he said.

"Justice has prevailed and the dear Lord will take care of him in the afterlife."

The toll of his sister's "senseless" death in December 2009 has been enormous.

"All she wanted to do was have a loving, caring family and this is what she got from an evil man," Jones said.

If Donna, 33 when she died, could speak, "she's saying nobody can do this to anybody and if you need help, get help," he said.

Life with no chance of parole for 25 years is the only sentence for first-degree murder but it won't be imposed until June 25 so Jones' loved ones can prepare victim impact statements.

The jury returned the verdict after less than a day of deliberations that began with Judge Robert Maranger's warning to put aside "any hatred" of Hutt.

They'd heard a month of evidence detailing Jones' life of depraved abuse and agonizing death from the infected burns that covered 40% of her broken body.

Prosecutor Vikki Bair argued Hutt deliberately scalded Jones with boiling water after four years of physical, mental and financial abuse then chose for her to die of infection, calling 911 only then so he could say it was an accident.

A broken nose, head trauma and at least two of the 29 air gun pellets in her flesh happened after she was scalded, a pathologist testified.

"We think it's justice — justice for Donna and honour for Donna," Bair said of the verdict.

She said she's grateful to jurors and hopes that insight into the "dynamics of a horribly abusive relationship" will educate.

"We may not see as much victim-blaming in the future," Bair said.

Defence lawyer Lorne Goldstein argued Hutt was guilty of criminal negligence causing death because he didn't want Jones — his defender and source of cash and emotional support — to die and knew she'd recovered from horrific burns before.

Det. Michael Hudson said it's been difficult to see Jones' family, friends and co-workers — who tried to intervene — wondering if they could have saved her.

"Everyone did everything they could possibly do," he said. "There's only one villain here and he's going to jail for a long time."

'Evil' Mark Hutt found guilty of murdering wife with boiling water

Donna Jones' family, friends and colleagues erupted into cheers Friday as the jury declared Mark Hutt guilty of murdering the burned, battered wife he kept torturing for the 12 days it took her to die.

"Pay the piper now, you prick," one shouted at an expressionless Hutt, 36.

"An evil man" was convicted of his "evil crimes," Jones' "elated" brother, Derek, said after pumping his fist in victory.

"He will pay for the rest of his life," he said.

"Justice has prevailed and the dear Lord will take care of him in the afterlife."

The toll of his sister's "senseless" death in December 2009 has been enormous.

"All she wanted to do was have a loving, caring family and this is what she got from an evil man," Jones said.